Richmond Voices is a Blog set up for the Catholic Blogging Community of the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia. It has no connection with the diocese whatsoever. Richmond Voices seeks to give a voice to the People of God of this diocese. YOUR articles can be the basis for discussion and comments.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

A Feeding Frenzy - The media is really getting out of hand...

As my readers know, I have been posting the German Spiegel Online International articles about the lifting of the excommunications of the SSPX bishops. This afternoon I received notice of another article about the fallout from the Pope's action. I am absolutely appalled at the anger and seemingly purposeful misunderstanding of the issues involved by the international media; in addition to the remarks made by Catholic clerics and others.

I don't intend to post the current article though if you wish to read it, you will find it here. What I do want to post is an excerpt that I believe is important and one that has not been adequately covered. Here is the excerpt with my emphases:

"The slip-up involving the St. Pius bishops could not have turned into a scandal but for two, closely-related problems associated with this pontificate.

The first is the growing isolation of Benedict XVI. And the second is his trepidation when it comes to interacting with the modern world. It is a deeply conservative fundamental attitude, which repeatedly leads to "ecumenism to the right," as Johann Baptist Metz, a theologian and professor of fundamental theology, said recently in criticism of the pope.

The pope, says one member of the Curia, has surrounded himself with a team of yes-men, devoid of any critical voices. The team even shields the 81-year-old pontiff from unfavorable reports in the media. "As a rule," says the official, "he is only presented with excerpts from the international press. And in many cases, his staff members say: No, no, we cannot show him that article."

Unlike his predecessor Angelo Sodano, Cardinal Secretary of State Bertone is considered relatively apolitical. Benedict appointed the cardinal because he had shown himself to be "prudent in pastoral care," and because he was familiar with Bertone from their days serving together on the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

...A conservative lobby has formed around the pope over the years, with considerable influence and abilities to manipulate policy. It includes the members of groups like Opus Dei, the Legion of Christ, the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter and the SSPX."

Is this what is happening? Does anyone want to tackle the implications of these charges?

2 comments:

More hysteria from those who are aligned against the Church. I used to think only the Mohammedans were this irrational. Papa is only building upon the good work of JPII and preparing the Church to stand against a growing secular movement and heterodoxy.

I would advise against charging the Pope with reactionary sympathies. Benedict XVI, long before he ascended the throne of Peter, has made it clear that he was not totally satisfied with the heading of our Church, especially in the area of liturgy.

I can understand the feelings those progressive Catholics who view this as a threat. For the past four decades or so, they've also heavily invested in the area of liturgy, and thought they possessed a monopoly on what's liturgically allowed, and what must not be asked for.

As the post Vatican II era is ending, and a new chapter in our Church's history is opening, the contemporary liturgy is being reconnected to the two thousand year old Tradition. The informed and educated young Catholics show strong signs of solidarity with the Pope in this area, and are very likely to implement his Summorum Pontificum in the next few decades.

Our Pope is not a reactionary. He's Catholic in the full meaning of the word, and he's not about to sever ties with Tradition.